Air and steam coupling for railway-cars



(No Model.)

l. t e e h S s .fu nu e h S 2 L L I H ..I

AIRYAND STEAM COUPLING'FOR RAILWAY GARS.

Patented Api. l2, 1892.l

(No Model.) z sheets-sheet z.

A J. F. HILL.

AIR AND STEAM UOUPLING FOR RAILWAY GARS. No. 472,807. Patented Apr. 12,1892.

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., mmo'umm, wnsumnron n n WIJVESSES UNITE-D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. HILL, OF FLEETWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA.

AIR AND STEAM COUPLlNG FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,807, dated April 12, 1892.

` Application filed .Tune 4', 1891. Serial No. 395,051. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES F. HILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fleetwood, in the county of Berks, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Air and Steam Couplings for Railway-Cars, of which the following is a specification. Y

This invention relates to mechanism intended particularly for making air or steam pipe connections between the different cars of a railway-train, either for operating the brake or warming the cars, or both.

My main object is to provide an improved..

.modified coupling-head to be used with asingle pipe. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the position assumed by the truck-frame with relation to the car-body when on a curve; andv Fig. 5 is a side elevation of my device with the parts G and g removed, and showing the manner of securing the same to the car-frame.

A and A' represent short sections of pipe, which are flexibly connected with main pipes extending under the body of the car by means of lengths of hose A2 and A3, or in any suitable manner, and are intended to conduct compressed air and steam, respectively. An intermediate T F provides a side outlet from each, which may be connected with a section of hose g, by means of which connection may be made in the ordinary way with an adjoining car not provided with my improved coupling, this side outlet being controlled, as usual, by a stop-cock G. The pipes A and A are connected at their forward ends to a headpiece D, into which they are screwed, and an interior valve-seat a is formed atthe rear end of each pipe, inwhich is seated a valve b, secured to a stem B, which passes through into the coupling of an opposite car when connected, as will be hereinafter described.

Extending rearwardly from the head-piece D, between the pipes A and A', is a shaft H, which, togetherwith the pipes, passes loosely through a supporting-hanger P, fastened to the bottom of the car-bodyj.- The rear end of this shaft is pivotally connected at h to the end of a lever M, which latter is pivoted intermediately to the car-body or to a block k, depending therefrom at a point m and loosely connected at its opposite end m to the cross-timber of the truck-frame of the car. A spring K, strung on the shaft H and seated against the hangers P, presses the whole coupling forward, this movement being limited .by

the pin h2, and the slot h in the shaft, in whichL the pivotal connection h with the lever M'V t slides, permits the whole coupling to be moved inward by compressing the spring K.

The natural position-of my pipe-coupling mechanism is in the center of the car transversely and under the car-coupling mechanism. Presuming two passenger cars provided with my improved mechanism to be approaching each other on a straight track, the automatic operation of coupling will be as follows:

As the automatic car-couplers approach their joints E, as shown in the upper portion of ICC Fig. l, are guided into direct contact and are pressed inward, thus opening the valves?) and bringing the opposite rubber rings E, which inclose the valve-stem ends, together, so as to 5 form joints and prevent the escape of air or steam, while at the same time permitting the free flow from one car to another. By .the time the car-couplers are coupled together the whole pipe-coupling will be moved inward some distance, compressing the spring K, the resilience of which will take up the movement ofv the draw-springs and maintain proper pressure on the joints E at all times. If the cars be brought together with either one or both of them on a curve, as indicated in Fig. 4, it is evident-that the end of the car on the curved track will be thrown out of center with the centerline s between the rails, as indicated, to an exaggerated extent at r'. In order to' bring the pipe-coupling mechanism into position to fairly meet thaton the oppo sitel car, it is necessary to turn it toward the center ofthe track-curve, and this is accomplished in my construction by the connection lm. with the truck-frame, which latter will stand out of line with the longitudinal center line of the curve, as indicated in Fig. 4. The head D will be moved in the same direction from this center' line as is the frame n by means of the connecting lever M, which swings the coupling mechanism laterally in the hanger P, the openings through which are of sufficiently greater diameter than the parts passing through them to permit such lateral movement thereof, the proportionate lengths and location of parts being such as to move the head D sufficiently to bring it practically to the center line s of the rails, and thus secure its automatic coupling with the mechanism on the approaching car or maintain a proper connection on cars already coupled when rounding curves.

Where but one line of piping is to be connected,a single head D, as indicated in Fig.

ter of the head, and three guide-wings cl2 being provided to properly center the meeting couplings. Whether a single or double coupling is used, it is evident that the construction may be considerably varied without departing from the spirit of my invention. For instance, the means ofsuspending the mechanism to the body of the car so as to securethe desired lateral movement of the coupling-head on curves may be very different in detail from the means shown; or the contact ends of the Y valve-stems may be differently made from the preferred construction shown. I do not therefore limit myself to the exact mechanism set forth; but

`What I claim is-- 1. The combination, with a car', of a pipe or hose coupling mechanism, substantially as described, pivotally secured intermediately of its length to the car-body and having its coupling-head extended to a point adjacent to the 4, may be used, the joint E being in the cen-v car-couplingand its opposite end connected with the car-truck,whereby the coupling-head is swung laterally on curves, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. Y

2. In a pipe or hose coupling mechanism for cars, the combination, with the head-piece having guide-wings at its forward end, elastic rings adjacent to said wings, the pipe entering said head and having guide-plates at having a series of perforations, of a puppetvalve seated within said pipe, a stem projecting through said valve and guide-plates, a hollow perforated head on the forward end of said stem, adapted to make a tight joint with said elastic rings to prevent the passage of air or steam between them, and a spring encir- 4. In a double pipe or hose coupling for cars, the combination of the laterally-movable pipes A and A,secured to acommon headvpiece and a shaft extending rearward from the head-piece, a spring encircling said shaft, 1 and a lever connected with said shaft, pivotally supported at its center from the car-body and pivoted at its rear end to the car-truck. 5. The combination,with a car, of a double pipe or hose coupling mechanism consisting of pipes A and A,secured to a common headpiece D, puppet-valves seated within said pipes and having operating-stems projecting through the head-piece, and a shaft extend- .ing rearward from the head-piece between the pipes, said shaft being pivotally supported from the car-body, provided with a spring K and having its inner end operatively connected by a lever M with the car-truck, all arranged and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a pipe or hose coupling for cars, the combination, with the head-piece and laterally-movable pipe entering the same and provided with means for opening and closing the passage through it, of a shaft adjacent to said pipe, a coil-spring encircling said shaft, and a lever having a pivotal sliding connection at its forward end with said shaft, vsaid lever being also pivoted intermediate of its length to the car-body and at its rear end to the cartruck, all substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.

7. In a pipe or hose coupling for cars, the

'its opposite ends, each of said guide-plates IOO IIO

combination, with the head-piece, a hanger depending from the carbody, and a pipe passin gloosely through an opening in said hanger, entering said head-piece at its forward end 5 and provided with a means for opening and Closing the passage through it, of a shaft adjacent to the said pipe, providedwith a pin h2 for limiting the movement, a coil-spring encircling said shaft, and a lever having a Io pivotal sliding connection at its forward end with said shaft, said lever being also pivoted intermediate of its length to the car-body and at its rear end to a car-truck, all substantially as described, and forthe purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in 15 presence of two witnesses.

' JAMES F. HILL. Witnesses: JOHN H. ROTHERMEL, WILSON J. HOCH. 

